Prejudice

Why are Samaritans, who were shunned by the Jews as inferior, so often the 'heroes' of Jesus's stories?
Have you ever wondered about that?

Could it be that He was trying to deal with our inclination to prejudice?
I don't know about you but I see that I have had prejudices -
against (for eg) Moslems and the Chinese.
I am learning that I must keep stepping away from the tendency to view people in 'clumps'

Jesus never did that:
He saw everyone as a person, unique and beloved.
One for whom He was ready to die.

The moment I see anyone as just part of a group with which I have issues, that person loses worth to me.
I believe it is a widespread problem -
Hence Jesus's recorded interactions with the Samaritans.

Check for yourself: the woman at the well was a Samaritan
Later through her, a whole Samaritan town believed in the Jewish Messiah.
The kind neighbour was a Samaritan.
Of the ten lepers Jesus healed, the only one who returned to thank Him was a Samaritan.

Coincidence?
I think not.

It must have been a shock to the Jews that Jesus made so much of this despised race -
Who do WE think is outside Jesus's ambit?
Is there any people group we tend to write off?

Is there any people group you might have issues with?